5-Ingredient Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

If your family loves creamy, cheesy pasta and you’re looking for a simple way to up their veggie intake—because aren’t we always?!—this super simple 5-Ingredient Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese needs to be on your menu asap!

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

The beauty of this recipe is that the squash adds that classic orange color and nutrients, but the kids just get the cheesy pasta flavor and texture that they love. And the method is so simple since everything cooks in the same pot, so it’s a perfect option for a busy weeknight.

TIP: Pick up a bag of precut butternut squash and you literally just need to fill a pot with water to get this recipe started!

Healthy Mac and Cheese

You can make this with any pasta shape that your family prefers—elbows would be a great choice if your kids are used to the classic boxed variety—and you can add in broccoli or peas if you want to up the veggie intake even more. This butternut mac and cheese recipe is easy to scale up and you can make it gluten-free if needed by selecting a favorite GF pasta.

TIP: We love the Barilla gluten-free pasta—though I recommend cooking it for 1-2 minutes less than the box says for the best texture…it can start to fall apart if you cook it for the full time!

Butternut Mac and Cheese with Canned Squash

If you have a can of butternut squash, you can sub that in and skip the step where you’d otherwise need to cook the squash. Simply add it to the blender and blend it up!

What else can I use the cheese sauce for?

The simple butternut squash cheese sauce is also a wonderful topping for steamed broccoli, green beans, asparagus, or any other veggie that your kids might need a little extra encouragement to gobble up! (P.S. What to Do When Your Toddler Won’t Eat.)

Tips for Making the Best Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Use the type of pasta your family prefers, whether whole wheat, gluten-free, bean-based, or traditional.

Try serving the cheese sauce as a dipping sauce for other cooked veggies.

You can use canned butternut squash puree if desired.

Use orange cheese for the most vivid orange color.

Stir in frozen peas (which will thaw in the warm pasta) to add an easy veggie.

Try with sweet potato or another favorite winter squash.

Trade in cauliflower for the squash to make Cauliflower Mac and cheese.

I’d love to know how your family enjoys this recipe, so please comment below to share!

5-Ingredient Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Description

Use your family’s favorite shape and type of pasta in this recipe. (We like elbows or mini shells!)

Ingredients

1 cup peeled and cubed butternut squash

1/3 cup milk

3/4 cup grated yellow or white cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon butter

8 ounces pasta

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the squash and cook for about 10 minutes or until soft when poked with a fork.Use a large slotted spoon to transfer the squash to a blender, draining off all of the liquid.

Add the milk, cheese, and butter, and puree until completely smooth.Meanwhile, bring the water back to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot. Stir in the cheese sauce, season to taste with salt, and serve! Variations:

To make this for 6-8 people, simply double all the amounts using a full pound of pasta. You can also add more cheese if you’d like.

Notes

Use the type of pasta your family prefers, whether whole wheat, gluten-free, bean-based, or traditional.

Try serving the cheese sauce as a dipping sauce for other cooked veggies.

You can use canned butternut squash puree if desired.

Use orange cheese for the most vivid orange color.

Stir in frozen peas (which will thaw in the warm pasta) to add an easy veggie.

Try with sweet potato or another favorite winter squash.

Trade in cauliflower for the squash to make Cauliflower Mac and cheese.

Reader Interactions

Comments

She stole this recipe and photo too… https://mylittleyum.com/butternut-squash-mac-cheese/
She stole one of my recipes and images and I made it clear that this isn’t legal or acceptable. She took her version of my post down, but hasn’t removed the other stolen posts.

Absolutely delicious and a hit with my 4 year old! Also super easy – took basically the same time as making a box of Mac n cheese.The cheese I used was mild so I added a little salt. This is going in the regular rotation.

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